Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

and steered her through the door so she didn?t clip her shoulder on

the frame.

?Your mom?s a real trip,? he said with a touch of fear when they

were outside and the door was shut safely behind them.

?I haven?t decided if she?s right about everything that ever

mattered to me, or if she?s just evil,? Helen said honestly.

?That?s what everyone wonders about their mother,? Matt said

with a smile as he rolled his eyes. ?The thing is, nobody?s mom is

entirely one or the other.?

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Helen smiled at Matt, hoping he was right, and led him downstairs.

They went into the kitchen, looking for someone to lend

them a car, but the only person they saw was Pandora, who was

just coming back into the house from the garage.

?Helen,? Pandora said, surprised. ?You?re not leaving, are you??

?Matt needs to go home and I need to . . .? Helen started to say,

but Pandora shook her head.

?I can?t let you leave this house. You know that,? she said

forcefully.

?Then maybe you can take him?? Helen asked.

?I?m sorry, I can?t right now,? Pandora said, looking down at her

unadorned hands. ?Why don?t you ask Ariadne? She?s in the library.?

She smiled briefly at Helen and Matt, and silently hurried off

toward the fight cage. It took Helen a moment to realize what was

missing. For the first time Helen could remember, Pandora wasn?t

wearing any jewelry.

Helen led Matt to the library, where Castor, Pallas, Hector, Ariadne,

Cassandra, and Lucas were all talking in a tight circle around

Cassandra?s chair. The conversation ended as soon as they saw

Helen.